Chapter 7
“Oh, Rena, what happened? It must be Neil who has been bullying you. I’m going to have a word with them tomorrow. How dare they bully my daughter…” My mom freaked out and quickly sat down on the bed to hold me.
“Mom, Neil didn’t bully me, I’m just moved by how good you are to me…” I hugged my mom’s waist, choking back tears.
Neil really didn’t bully me; it was all caused by my own wishful thinking. He was indeed a total jerk, and I was just a foolish follower.
My mom gently patted my back, letting out a deep sigh. As my only mom, she knew me best. How could she not know about the injustices I’d suffered from Neil? I’m not one to cry easily. If I wasn’t truly wronged, I wouldn’t shed a tear.
“Do you still want to eat that roast chicken?” She asked me.
“Yes, I can’t wait…” I wiped away my tears, got up from the bed, and wobbly held my mom’s hand as we went downstairs to eat butter roast chicken.
My dad must have gone to bed. It was just my mom and me sitting in the dining room chatting. The aroma of the roast chicken was mouthwatering. I gobbled up more than half of it. I’d been eating very little these past few years, so after suddenly eating so much, my stomach ballooned, and I almost threw up.
My mom patted my back, “Why are you eating so much? You won’t be able to sleep if your stomach is too full.”
“I was too hungry,” I muttered a laugh. The last time I ate so heartily was at my graduation party with Stella. After graduation, I married Neil and began a life filled with resentment.
“Even if you are hungry, you should eat slowly and only eat until you’re 80% full. My mom said gently.
I clung to her arm, whining, “Mom, sleep with me tonight, tell me your secret salad recipe!”
Without hesitation, she agreed.
-When I woke up the next day, I felt more relaxed than ever. After having a full breakfast at home, I set off for the hospital.
Oscar was playing with his phone. His leg wasn’t broken, but the flesh wound was quite serious. He had stitches and was bandaged up, unable to move freely. “Ma’am, why are you here?” Oscar looked surprised and slightly embarrassed when he saw me. “You don’t need to worry about me, nor do you need to visit me so often.”
No way smiled warmly and kindly, then turned to Bailey, “Bailey, bring those in.”
Bailey, carrying a bunch of nutritional supplements, placed them beside the hospital bed.
Seeing the big fuss I was making, Oscar was obviously taken aback. He looked a bit embarrassed, “Miss, it’s just a minor flesh wound, not that serious.“. “Health is precious. Even a flesh wound is still a wound.” I sat down by the bed, grinning.
“By the way, lady, I don’t know your name.” Oscar suddenly asked.
“Just call me Irene.” I answered very frankly.
Oscar nodded. “Alright, Irene.”
I sat in the ward with Oscar, chatting about various topics. College students always had simple and naive thoughts. Oscar was a junior, majoring in civil engineering. He was a good student who paid for his own tuition by working part–time.
He talked about his future and his lovely and beautiful girlfriend. His dream is to have a stable job after graduation and marry the girl he loved. I couldn’t help but laugh, which was a bit rude, so I immediately stopped.
Oscar looked at me puzzled, “Irene, why are you laughing?”
I gently rubbed my nose and smiled, “Nothing, just… seeing you reminds me of some sweet dreams I had in college.”
“Irene, which college did you graduate from?” Oscar asked curiously.
I looked at him deeply, “Rosemont College.”
Turned out, both Neil and I were alumni of Bonnie and Oscar, graduating a few years earlier.
Oscar exclaimed excitedly, “Irene, we went to the same college. You’re my alumna!”
I pretended to be very happy. “Yes, what a coincidence, right?”
There were many universities in Rosemont, and Rosemont College was one of the top three in the country. The students there, regardless of their family background, were all very smart. After graduation, they had promising futures. Even if they weren’t super rich, they could still live a middle–class life.
If Bonnie hadn’t met Neil, Oscar’s dream might have come true.
So Oscar and I started talking about Rosemont College. He was quite talkative, and I enjoyed chatting. We were having a great time, when someone walked in, her voice crisp and pleasant, “Oscar, I’m here to see you!”
Hearing that, the sound of Neil’s special ringtone echoed in my ears. The exact same voice, the exact same tone.
I turned my head and saw Bonnie in a white chiffon skirt. Her beautiful soft hair was spread out, the ends slightly curled. She looked pure yet mature, stunningly beautiful. I wasn’t jealous of her beauty, but the youthful vitality radiating from her young body made me feel a bit bitter.
When I was twenty, I had been secretly in love with Neil for three years. I spent the best years of my life on a love that was never reciprocated. Why did Neil passionately love Bonnie, who was the same age as 1 was then, while I could only persist on every page of my diary?
“Bonnie!” Oscar looked delighted but slightly guilty to see Bonnie, “Ah, if I knew you were coming, I wouldn’t have told you., I didn’t want you to worry.”
Bonnie, carrying flowers and fruit, walked over as gracefully as a swan, “Are you silly? How could you not tell me when you’re injured?!
I stood up and gave the only chair to Bonnie. I was calm because next, I also had to give Neil to her. Compared to that, what was a chair?
“Ma’am, it’s you!” Bonnie suddenly recognized me, she looked surprised, “What are you doing here?”
Because I “accidentally” hit your boyfriend.
I smiled awkwardly, “Sorry, I accidentally hit Oscar. I came to see how he’s recovering.”
Bonnie glanced at me, then at Oscar. She didn’t blame me or Oscar, instead, she cracked a smile. “What a coincidence, Oscar. This lady here frequents our coffee shop. She’s a real gem. Maybe she just bumped into you accidentally.”
Her understanding and kindness left me speechless. If it were someone else, it might’ve been an accidental bump. But for me, it was intentional.
“I know, Irene certainly didn’t mean to do it. She even gave me extra compensation. I’m kind of embarrassed,” Oscar said, scratching his head in a sheepish manner.
“That won’t do. Compensation should only cover what needs to be covered,” Bonnie immediately whipped out her phone. “Irene, could you provide a payment account? I need to refund you the surplus.”
Perhaps it was this attitude, and her indifference towards money, that attracted Neil? There wasn’t a trace of money worship in this girl. Her eyes were filled with clarity.
I really admired her. She always managed to make my designer clothes seem worthless in comparison.
